C.—2

46

During the year extensive prospecting and surveying operations have been carried out on the No. 2 seam between the present workings and the main fault. An area of good coal (approximately 25 acres) with an average thickness of 20 ft. has been located, and it is intended to commence with the development of this area immediately. Between the present workings and the new area the coal is very dirty and is valueless as a commercial asset. A drive, 16 chains in length, will be necessary to connect the present workings with the new area it is proposed to develop. A borehole has been put down from the No. 2 seam to cut the No. 1 seam. This hole is now down 170 ft., and as the distance between the two seams is only 180 ft. it should not be long before the No. 1 seam is met with GREY VALLEY COLLIERIES (LIMITED). Dobson Mine.—Operations have again been resumed at this mine. The stone dip is now down a distance of 16 chains, but the coal-seam has net yet been reached. Mount Buckley Section, Dobson Mine.—A few tons of coal was won from the pillars of this section during the year, and was used on the works for power purposes. The coal being of a soft friable nature this section is now abandoned. CO-OPERATIVE PARTIES. Scott and Party''s Mine, Blackball.—This small mine forms part of the Blackball Coal Company's freehold. A party of miners has contracted with the company to delivef the coal at the railway. Working to the dip the party were unable to cope with the water. A siphon that had been installed was discarded, as the sulphuric acid in the water rapidly corroded the pipes. The party then commenced to remove the pillars. In order to win the coal to the dip it is intended to drive a low-level adit from the railway side of the ridge, a trial survey having proved this possible. Number of men employed, six. Boustridge and Party.—This mine is on the bank of the Grey River and forms part of the old Brunner lease. The coal has been reached by driving a tunnel into the hill through slipped ground. A water-balance is used to raise the coal up to the bin-level; from there it is carted to the Brunner Railway-station in drays. The loading and unloading into drays and wagons is done by hand ; the output, being small, does not warrant the installation of machinery. Two men are employed. Dixon and Party, Brunner. —All the pillars have been extracted, and the mine is now closed. Allan and Party, Brunner. —This party, consisting of seven men, have secured part of the old Brunner lease known as the Coolgardie section. Height of coal worked is 8 ft. Kiwi Shaft, New Tyneside Mine (Smeaton, Cummings, and Party).—During the year this party commenced operations in the Kiwi shaft at Brunner, but, unfortunately, during November an influx of water from the old Tyneside workings compelled the abandonment of coal-winning operations. Armstrong and Party, Dunollie. —The stone band in the rise coal continues to increase, and work in this direction has been temporarily stopped and the workings to the dip restarted. Two levels off the main dip are being driven east and west. The main incline going north now shows 14 ft. of clean coal. Ten men are employed. To work the dip a boiler, winch, and pump have been installed. Moody Creek Mine (Simpson and Party), Dunollie. —Development in this mine has been restricted by faults, and work during the year has been confined to the. upper seam. Seven men were employed. Hunter and Party, Dunollie.—Prospecting operations on the upper seam have been abandoned, and development is confined to the bottom seam. In the main incline the coal is irregular, varying from 3 ft. to 4 ft. in height ; overlying the coal is 18 in. of shaly coal and stone. The main level shows an average height of 3 ft. 3 in. of coal. Eight men were employed. Brae Head Mine (Boote and Party), Dunollie.—This party by continuing a dip drive in stone have reached a seam of coal 12 ft. to 14 ft. in height. A main level is now being driven in a northerly direction. A Hayes fan coupled to a small steam-engine has been installed. Eight men were employed. Hillside Mine (Clark and Party), Dunollie.—The main dip is down a distance of 11 chains and has been stopped in 2 ft. of coal. The levels to the right and left of the dip have also thinned, and a band -of stone near the roof has increased in thickness. In consequence Of these drawbacks the driving of winning-places has ceased and pillarextraction has been commenced. The party have installed a 15 in. steam-driven Sirocco fan. Eight men were employed. Mclvor and Party, Dunollie.— During the year this party have experienced considerable difficulty with water in the dip workings. Only four men were employed. Baddeley and Party, Dunollie.—The solid workings to the rise are nearing the boundary of the lease, and it is the intention of the party to drive through the fault in the main level. Eight men were employed. Manderson and, Party, Dunollie.---Pillar-extraction in both top and bottom seams continues. Nine men were employed. Smith and Party, Dunollie. —Pillar-extraction continues in the rise workings, but it is the intention of the party to intercept the coal-seam at a lower level by means of a stone drive. Eight men were employed. Duggan and Party, Rewanui. —Two seams of coal are being worked, the bottom or No. 3 seam, and the upper or Compressor seam. All solid workings in the No. 3 seam are now practically completed, and a start has been made to develop the upper seam, which shows an average thickness of 5 ft. of soft friable coal. An overlying bed of fireclay which swells on exposure to the air makes mining difficult. In order to reduce haulage costs, a flume 10 in. by 8 in. was contracted from one of the mine-openings to a new bin near the Rewanui Railway-station. Owing to the steep gradient (1 in 2J) near the bin and the friable nature of the coal this means of transport had to be abandoned. Seven men were employed. Spark and Party, Rewanui. —The coal worked forms part of the No. 4 seam, and is of good quality, varying from 6 ft. to 8 ft. in thickness. The main level has been continued in a north-easterly direction. A new Sirocco fan, 35 in. in diameter, driven by a Pelton-wheel, has been installed, and the ventilation in consequence has been considerably improved. A storage-bin of 200-tons capacity has also been erected near the Rewanui Railway-station. Eight men were employed. Buller District. Westport-Stockton Colliery.—ln the Fly Creek area, E Field, the main south headings have advanced a total distance of 18 chains, and the east and west headings 10 chains in their respective directions; The coal is solid and unbroken with a thickness averaging 20 ft. An 8 ft. Waddle fan is being installed to supersede the electrically driven Sirocco fan now used to ventilate this section. The Waddle fan will be operated by a Boving water-wheel under pressure due to 140 ft. of head. Seventeen chains of fluming connects the circular concrete dam to the surge chamber. In the old No. 1 section pillar-extraction continues, four to seven pairs of colliers having been engaged constantly during the year. Old Mine : Operations in this mine have been chiefly confined to pillar-extraction in the C Tunnel. Six pairs of miners were employed. D Extension : This is a new area of 70 acres under development similar to the old D section. The average height of seam is 10 ft. The output from this seam is delivered by a flume, one mile in length, to a receiving bin near B Tunnel rope-road. Six pairs of colliers were engaged in this section driving out winning headings in readiness for an increase of output. The construction of the main flume continues and should shortly be completed. The full length of the flume is five and a half miles, four miles of which have been erected and are now ready to receive the galvanized-iron casing. When completed the whole output from the mine will be carried by water from the new 750-ton bin near the new mine to the receiving-bin at Ngakawau.